Communications Specialist

Eligibility criteria

Minimum age: 25 years old. Nationals of the country of assignment are not eligible, except the assignments in Headquarters duty stations.

Description of task

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Field Office, Mopti, and in close collaboration with the Chief of Communication who oversees all external communication for UNICEF Mali, the UN Volunteer will:

• Regularly go on field trips within Mopti to collect testimonies, quotes, and photo and video stories that illustrate the situation of children and women in Mali and UNICEF’s interventions in favor of children and women, in particular the most vulnerable
• Write compelling, talkable and audience-tailored content for social media, websites and blogs (such as unicef.org/mali and UNICEF Connect) as well as internal platforms, in support of UNICEF Mali’s advocacy and resource mobilization objectives
• Coordinate local media activities, including with partner media and with child journalists, with a view on ensuring regular reporting on children’s issues in central Mali and supporting the increase in brand awareness for UNICEF in Mopti
• Participate and promote UNICEF’s positions in communications and advocacy meetings with other UN agencies and humanitarian actors
• Plan, coordinate and accompany punctual media visits to Mopti
• Where necessary and with the guidance of the Chief of Communications, support the Chief of Field Office with advice on strategic communications in crisis-affected areas
• Where necessary and under the guidance of the Chief of Communications, prepare key messages and talking points for media and prepare spokespersons in Mopti for media interviews
• Upon special request and when required, conduct field missions to Timbuktu and Gao to gather content and/or facilitate media missions
• Carry out other tasks as needed under the supervision of the Chief of Field Office and the Chief of Communications in close consultation with programme colleagues and the Emergency Management Team

The UN Volunteer will also work closely with programme staff in the Mopti field office, the C4D officer in the Mopti field office, the Digital Communications Officer in Bamako and the entire Communications team, the Emergency Management Team and short-term specialized consultants brought in on a project basis.

Qualifications/Requirements Required degree level: Bachelor degree or equivalent Education - Additional Comments:

Bachelor’s degree, ideally in journalism, marketing, communication, social sciences, or international affairs.

Master’s degree is preferred but not a requirement.

Required experience: 60 Months Experience remark:

• Five years' professional experience in communication, print/broadcast media and/or digital media with experience in crisis/emergency situations preferred
• Fluency in French and strong mastery of English

Language skills:

• French(Mandatory), Level - Fluent
• English(Optional), Level - Working Knowledge

Area of expertise: Public information and reporting, Web and graphic design, Arts, music, photography and film Area of expertise details:

• Excellent copywriting skills and the ability to tailor copy to target audiences, including youth, decision-makers and donors. Experience in writing for the web, for blogs and for social media is essential
• Demonstrated skills in photography. Videography skills, particularly in producing video for social media use, are a distinct advantage.
• Demonstrated skills in working with media and facilitating media reporting on priority topics
• Dynamic self-starter able to work independently under high pressure and tight deadlines
• Strategic and creative thinker able to approach tasks with innovative thinking, going beyond routine and standard approaches
• Highly familiar with social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
• Graphic design and layout skills (Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, etc) are an advantage

Driving license: No Competencies values:

Accountability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Building Trust, Client Orientation, Commitment and Motivation, Commitment to Continuous Learning, Communication, Empowering Others, Ethics and Values, Knowledge Sharing, Planning and Organizing, Professionalism, Vision, Working in Teams

Application procedure:

* Not yet registered in the UNV Talent Pool?
Please first register your profile at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/signup.
Important: After creating your account, complete all sections of your profile and submit it. Then go to ‘My Page’ at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/mypage and click on the ‘Special Calls’ hyperlink. Lastly, select the special call to which you would like to apply.

* Already registered in the UNV Talent Pool?
Please first update your profile at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/profile. Then go to ‘My Page’ at https://vmam.unv.org/candidate/mypage and click on the ‘Special Calls’ hyperlink to select the special call for to which you would like to apply.

Application deadline: 3 March 2020